The sound comes from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, released by Nintendo in 2017. It is tied to the Guardian enemies, whose alert music became one of the most memorable panic cues in the game. Online, people began using the clip as a shorthand for being spotted, hunted, or caught at the worst possible moment. Its popularity lasted because even a very short section of the sound communicates instant danger, much like a danger alarm sound effect meme in other edits.